SWOOP NETTED COCAINE, BUT NO SAFE CONVICTION

BRISTOL Crown Court was told that The Frugal set sail for the Caribbean in
April 1994 with Robin Sargent at the helm (Richard Ford writes).

When it returned on January 10. 1995 it was picked up on radar by the
customs vessel The Searcher as it rounded Beachy Head, East Sussex.

As The Frugal signalled to a reception party on shore, customs officers in
rigid inflatable dingies, emerged from the darkness and helicopters
hovering overhead lit up the beach. The drugs were found concealed in six
containers that the gang had landed on the beach.

Doran and Togher were arrested in Fulham, West London, the following day
when they met in a BMW garage that they had been using as an office. Togher
and Doran, along with George Caccavale, Terence Reeves and The Frugal's
skipper, Robin Sargent, were charged with being knowingly concerned in the
smuggling of pounds 34 million worth of cocaine.

They were initially convicted in July 1997 after a four-month trial, but
later appealed against the verdict.

The following year the Court of Appeal quashed their convictions and
ordered a retrial.

The retrial collapsed when Mr Justice Turner upheld claims by the defence
that there had been "abuse of process" by the prosecution.

Doran and Togher are still serving prison sentences on separate charges.
Their three co-accused had previously been freed on bail.